Another domestic title beckons Bayern Munich. The Bavarians are seven points clear at the top with three matches to go. A win against Borussia Monchengladbach on the weekend will ensure that the league title remains in Munich for yet another season – the ninth in a row.
Hansi Flick won’t be at Bayern Munich next season. Marco Rose will leave Borussia Monchengladbach following the conclusion of the current campaign. However, on Saturday, those two will lead their respective sides for a Bundesliga clash that could determine their teams’ futures.
Bayern are one win away from retaining the championship. A positive result against Gladbach would ensure that they are crowned the champions of Germany for the ninth time in a row. Conversely, they could win the title before the match kicks off. Second-placed RB Leipzig, who are seven points behind Bayern with three matches to play, take on Borussia Dortmund in an earlier fixture. Should they lose the match, the gap between themselves and Bayern would become unassailable.
Provided Leipzig win their match, Bayern will look to claim their crown by beating Gladbach. However, Rose’s team are no pushovers, and despite enduring a difficult season, they have begun to find a form of late. They beat Arminia Bielefeld 5-0 in their previous match, with Marcus Thuram scoring a brace. The Foals have won three of their last five matches as well, drawing one and losing the other – the same record as Bayern.
Bundesliga’s remarkable managerial merry-go-around means that Rose won’t be at Gladbach next season. He has already agreed to join Dortmund and will be replaced by Adi Hutter of Eintracht Frankfurt. However, the German coach will try to ensure that his successor gets to play in Europe next season. Gladbach are seventh in the table with three matches left to play.
Key Players
With 36 goals this season, Robert Lewandowski is once again leading the race for the Golden Shoe. While his goal tally is hardly surprising, what is remarkable is the fact that he leads the second-highest scorer by 11 goals! Moreover, Lewandowski’s 36 goals have from just 26 matches, with the forward averaging a goal every hour in the league. He remains on track to break Gerd Muller’s record of most goals in a Bundesliga season too.
Unlike his namesake, Thomas Muller is more of a playmaker than a finisher. While the responsibility of scoring goals is on Lewandowski, creating them falls on the shoulders of Muller. He has done his job well, assisting 17 times in the Bundesliga this season. That does not mean that the 31-year-old has completely forsaken his goal-scoring abilities. He has found the net 14 times this season across all competitions.
Children of legendary footballers hardly ever live up to their parents. However, Marcus Thuram stands out in that case, with the son of France legend Lilian Thuram making a name for himself in Germany. The attacker is Gladbach’s most potent threat and has registered double figures in both the goals and the assists columns. He is in fine form recently and has propelled his side upwards despite a largely disappointing season.
While he came out the assembly line at the other Borussia, Jonas Hofmann has become one of Germany’s most consistent performers at Gladbach. The 28-year-old has eight goals this season. However, it is the assist column that catches the eye. He has registered 13 assists in all competitions, with 11 of those coming in the Bundesliga. That makes him the league’s joint third-highest assist provider this season.
Prediction
It is hardly ever the case that Bayern are not the favourites to win a Bundesliga match. The Bavarians have dominated the league in the past nine years and are among the most dangerous sides all over Europe. As such, it is only fair to bestow upon them the tag of favourites once again, as they take on Borussia Monchengladbach on the weekend.
It is a match of significance for Bayern. A win, and they will win the league title – their ninth in a row. Hansi Flick’s side has created a vital gap between themselves and second-placed RB Leipzig, which would officially become unassailable if they win on Saturday. Meanwhile, Bayern can also be crowned the champions of Germany without even kicking the ball, provided Leipzig lose their match against Dortmund, which is scheduled to take place earlier in the day.
For Gladbach, it is all about qualifying for the Europa League now. Rose’s side has had a disappointing season, but a recent upturn in form has propelled them to just four points behind sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen. However, beating Bayern will not be easy – it never is – especially with the Bavarians extra motivated to finish the job.
